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Thursday, May 31, 2012

So I was supposed to get LASIK today, but that didn't happen. Last night I started shivering uncontrollably and had a fever of 102.8 that reduced to 100.1 before I went to bed. This morning I woke up with a fever of 104.1, so my mom took me to the ER. Needless to say, I have pneumonia and will be off the blog for about a week. I have 3 reviews set to post. One on 6/5, 6/7, and 6/9. My May wrap-up will be up as soon as I'm back to my usual self. I will be participating in RAK this month and have that set to post on 6/2.

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Rating:

My Review:

I've had Born Wicked sitting on my shelf for a month or so now and have been dying to read it. I'm glad I found the time because it was amazing! Jessica Spotswood created a society that is reminiscent of the Salem Witch Trials, but has its own unique twist.

Cate Cahill and her two sisters have been hiding their magic from their father and the community. After their mother's death, Cate has only ventured outside her home when need be. Confining her and her sisters to their home and garden, she needs to find a boy who will ask for her hand in marriage or be forced to join the sisterhood. With only a few months to go, Cate has to become a lady and keep her sister's antics in check without drawing too much attention.

I adore Cate. Her mother asked her to keep her sisters safe, and she hasn't let her down yet. Cate is protective of her sisters and would do anything to ensure that they come to no harm, even give up her own happiness. Her younger sisters, Maura and Tess, don't control their magic well and flaunt it around their home, putting them all in danger if anyone were to stop by. Cate is put in the position of scolding them, becoming a hypocrite when it happens to her.

There were a few things I liked and one thing I am not too happy about. I loved that Cate wasn't stupid. She knows what's at stake and does everything she can to keep those around her from finding out the truth. Unlike Maura, she isn't naive. She can tell when she is being lied to. I also liked that the sisters acted like true sisters. They got in fights and kept secrets. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I was extremely disappointed and I'm not sure if I would have chosen the same thing Cate did.

Overall, I loved Born Wicked. The ending devastated me and I can't wait to read book two, Star Cursed. I would highly recommend this book if you are interest in the Salem Witch Trials or witches in general!!

Summary:Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

ANGEL EYES

Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive

About the Author:Shannon Dittemore has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. The daughter of one preacher and the wife of another, she spends her days imagining things unseen and chasing her two children around their home in Northern California. Angel Eyes is her first novel.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Shut Up
by Anne Tibbets
Publisher: Premier Digital Publishing
Pages: 108
Source: courtesy of Anne Tibbets in exchange for a fair and honest review
Available as of February 28, 2012Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.

Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.

Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.

Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

Rating:

My Review:

When I received Shut Up I first thought, "What can I be told in just over a hundred pages?" Anne Tibbets told me a lot. She wrote a book of raw emotion and childhood depression that will forever be at the back of my mind.

There are so many elements that wreak havoc on Mary's life. She is only twelve and she has people telling her that she isn't pretty, smart, or just about anything that would ruin her self image. Mary is at an impressionable age and she can't see what everyone else does because of her sister's harsh words. Her mom doesn't pay much attention to her except to yell at her. I would be depressed if I were her too.

There are so many aspects to this book that I liked, the first being multiple perspectives. While Mary is the main speaker, we hear from her brother Paul also. He is pretty much invisible throughout the book while Mary takes all the emotional abuse her sister can toss her way, but he gives an outside look on the big problem. I also liked that you can see the impact Gwen has on the family. She is a huge catalyst to all of their problems. But, my favorite part is the end and based on what has been read, it is completely unexpected. I cried.

Overall, this was a gripping book that I didn't want to put down. I had to read it straight through to see how it all ended.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Silver Knight
by Caron Rider
Series: Silver #1
Pages: 278
Source: e-book courtesy of Caron Rider in exchange for a fair and honest review
Available as of February 24, 2012Amazon

When seventeen-year-old Diana recognizes an elderly priest in a video on YouTube, she realizes that reincarnation is real and that she’s been alive before! Every night in her dreams, she relives her past learning that it’s kill or be killed. Now a bishop at the Vatican whom she saved in another life calls on her once more. She is needed to help defeat evil within the catacombs of Rome. But when she arrives in Rome, she meets Alexander – the man of her dreams! Through the centuries she has loved him…betrayed him...been killed by him. Will she give him another chance or this time will she strike first?

Rating:

My Review:

After reading the summary, I was expecting Silver Knight to have a lot of action. I got that and so much more. Caron Rider created a world where all one girl knows is death, demons, and the one man who keeps killing her.

Diana isn't your average girl. She's a demon hunter who is continuously killed and reincarnated with the same name and purpose. Though her looks may change, she never stops fighting and always finds the same man over and over again.

There are a number of characters who we meet throughout the book that have their own chapter, but I want to focus on Diana. She doesn't sleep well because she has had nightmares most of her life. In each of these nightmares she almost always finds herself killed because of a Demon or Alexander. Even with the nightmares she somehow has the courage to fly to Rome and face more demons. I found her to be a really strong character who, I don't want to say has no fear, but has rather accepted her fate and knows that she will live once again. This knowledge is what keeps her head up with things look grim.

I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. First, so much history was brought into the story line. We see Diana all over the world in places like Pompeii, Babylon, Rome, and even on the Titanic. With all of her different locations, there is always one person who remains constant and I liked that I was able to take a look how their lives intertwined to the present. I loved that the ending isn't a cliffhanger, but leaves you excited for the next book. I wasn't sure what was going to happen when I got to the epilogue, but it definitely left me curious as to what will happen next.

There was only one notable thing I didn't really care for and that was how much the perspective changed. I was kind of lost at one point and started writing events down so I could follow along better. Each of the supporting characters had a chapter to themselves and I would get confused on occasion as to what time we were in and who they were talking to in the present. It wasn't overwhelming or anything like that, just a little difficult to follow.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Silver Knight and will be reading the next book, Silver Demon, when it's available. If you enjoy books with a lot of historical references, you will probably enjoy this book.

RAK

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